30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHOTO 2-19-2010
1980 PIAA AAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TEAM
The 1980 team went 12-2 during dual meets that season under Coaches Rod Laub, Steve Eck and Ron Angust, winning the prestigious Top Hat Christmas Tournament, District IV AAA Tournament, AAA Northeast Regional Tournament and finally the AAA State Wrestling championship.
In their dramatic championship run the Bulldogs had many Individual champions while collecting team glory.
In Districts the Bulldogs Mike Packer, Todd Gibson, Steve Litzelman and Wade Potter all collected Gold. Teammate Mark Levan finished second, teammates John Russo, Dennis Stabley and Rick McAlister all finished third and John Eck placed fourth to help pace the Bulldogs on to a District IV AAA Championship. Beating out Shikellamy by 25, avenging one of their only two losses early in the season.
Packer, Levan, Litzelman, Gibson and Potter all went on to the vaunted Northeast Regional where Potter, Gibson and Litzelman picked up more gold and teammate Mike Packer brought home the silver and teammate Mark Levan lost a hard fought decision in the consolation finals. Again all four pacing the Bulldogs on as the top team in the North East Regional tournament.
Onto States the Bulldogs went, Packer, Potter, Litzelman and Gibson each fighting for the opportunity to win a PIAA AAA State Championship at their respective weight classes. Each wrestler wrestling hard to win their individual weight at the end of the Tournament Wade Potter and Steve Litzelman both represented Jersey Shore in the Championship finals and both came out victorious, sealing not only an individual championship in their respective weight classes but with the help of their teammates throughout the year and the postseason, securing a State Team Championship. Jersey Shore finished the tournament 4 ½ points ahead of second place Trinity.
As many of you realize wrestling is not only an individual sport but a team sport, and every member of the team has a part in the success of the team. In the history of the school district only one team has earned the honor to be recognized as a state champion. Now to introduce this remarkable group of men.
The Head Coach for the team was Rod Laub, his assistants were Steve Eck and Ron Angust. Junior High coaches Dave Grazier, Dan Miller and John Rhoads. Statistician was Bill Albright and the scorebook keeper was Walter Eck.
Team members included
| Bernard Eck | Todd Gibson | Steve Litzelman | Dennis Stabley |
| Matthew Moore | Douglas Packer | Erick Palski | John Campana |
| Wade Potter | John Russo | Kurt Steinbacher | John F. Eck |
| Matthew Doughty | William Flick | Don Fuller | John H. Eck |
| Tim Glunk | Mark Le Van | Ken Lorson | Stephen Eck |
| Richard McCalister | Kevin Maggs | Robert Nagle | Jesse Fry |
| Mike Packer | Clifford Probst | Shaun Sholder | Vince Long |
| Scott Markle | Gregory Packer | Scott Powell | Chris Rousnsville |
| Timothy Sarr | Greg Wenner | Stephen Yost |
Managers were Mike Wirth and Roger Laub
In the Newspaper article after the Championship the Headline read ”Bulldog Wrestlers Makes History, Jersey Shore State Team Champions. To this day that 1980 team is still the only team to win a state title. Coach Laub said it best in the state Championship article “It shows what you can do if you go into it with the right mental attitude and a lot of hard work.” That quote sums up what wrestling is all about, what this team was all about and what it takes to win a State Championship. Congratulations to all the wrestlers on the 1980 team and thank you to all of you who came out tonight to help us celebrate this amazing State Championship team.